Tractor beam

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A tractor beam (from the Latin trahere “to pull”) is a fictional , bundled force field emitted by a corresponding projector, which is focused on a target object and is able to keep it spatially at a certain distance from the projector or its position, similar to a tow rope of the projector. So tractor beams would act like strong magnetic attraction or artificial directional gravity .

Even if the idea of ​​the tractor beam has long appeared in science fiction literature, there are only initial approaches in real science and technology today, including the technology of optical tweezers .

Science fiction

Tractor beams first appeared in science fiction literature in 1934 in the book Triplanetary by Edward E. Smith . They are also common in many science fiction stories, such as Perry Rhodan , Star Trek or Star Wars , but also in some computer games , such as X³: Reunion or Zero Wing .

Scientific experiments

In September 2010 it was announced that Australian scientists had developed a laser that can be used to transport individual particles. The laser heats the air around the particles that are stuck in a glass tube. The particles themselves remain cool and begin to move. If they should approach the hot laser beam, they will be pushed back to the center by the surrounding air and will sooner or later be pulled in the direction of the laser beam.

A tractor beam developed for NASA should work on a similar principle. With it it should be possible to take samples of asteroids and the like in space. Ä. Collect from a great distance.

In May 2014 Scottish scientists presented a tractor beam based on ultrasonic waves.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Tractor Beam - Article at Perrypedia
  2. ↑ Tractor Beam - Article at Memory Alpha
  3. ↑ a b NASA develops tractor beam - video at focus.de , from November 2, 2011
  4. ↑ Tractor beam ( Memento of the original from May 13, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. - Article at the X-Lexicon @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / x-lexikon.xibo.at
  5. ↑ Laser tube: Australian scientists develop tractor beam - Article at Golem.de , from September 11, 2010
  6. ↑ Tractor beam with ultrasound - Article at golem.de , May 6, 2014